Will Jacks making strong case to dislodge Surrey pal Jason Roy from England T20 World Cup squad

Will Jacks is making a strong case to oust his Surrey and Oval Invincibles team-mate Jason Roy from England’s T20 World Cup squad.

While Roy has made just 10 runs in four innings for the Invincibles, Jacks has hit 81 against Welsh Fire and an unbeaten 108 – the highest score ever posted in The Hundred – against last year’s champions Southern Brave.

“Like everyone else, I really want to play for England,” said Jacks, after lifting the Invincibles up to second in the table with a seven-wicket victory that was sealed with 18 balls to spare.

“That’s driving me. There’s a lot of players who are in that spot, guys who are playing well. But I’m just really hungry.

“I’m doing the right things at the moment. There’s so much competition around, and everyone knows that. It’s two innings, and that’s it. But every time, you’ve got to go out there with the mindset that ‘I have to score runs to put my name in that hat’.”

Jacks, 23, had previously scored one-day and first-class hundreds, but his best T20 knock was 92.

“That’s my highest score and my first hundred [in short form cricket]. It’s something I’ve wanted – my goal for the last three seasons was to get a hundred, so it was nice to finally tick that off. And to get it in a win and a great occasion like that, I’m proud of that.

“It was amazing. The atmosphere was incredible. Every time I got on strike in the 90s they were all cheering. I’ve never had that before. I was kinda surprised. I really enjoyed that.

“Obviously, I was pretty nervous about getting to the hundred mark and was then just enjoying the moment. But when you’re in that zone, it doesn’t matter who is bowling.

Shortly after bringing up a 27-ball half-century, Jacks was struck on the toe, at which point he decided it was time to press the button.

“It was pretty painful,” said Jacks. “After that, I decided, ‘I’ve got to whack it here,’ because I didn’t really fancy running. I was seeing it cleanly and was in control of my mind.”

Even though Jacks, who is also averaging 54.00 in this season’s County Championship, is in the ascendency, he was quick, when asked, to dismiss the notion that Roy’s recent loss of form could lead to a re-think in terms of England’s squad for the T20 World Cup, which gets underway on October 16.

“Everyone is going to say Jason’s got another duck today, but that was a fantastic ball,” said Jacks. “It swung back beautifully and hit the top of middle. He’s an unbelievable player. I’ve stood at the other end from him for the last five years, so I know just what he can do.

“He’s one of my good mates and I love batting with him. Everyone hopes he can find form. Put it this way, when he’s on form, nobody wants to bowl to him.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD